compare and contrast of energy sources

Different Energy Sources

Depending on the available resources , a country or a community may choose which energy source is viable to sustain electricity . Energy sources have various similar and different qualities . Due to this , a single energy source is not used for everything different sources are used to run different machineries , gadgets and /or vehicles . There are many types of energy but for mankind to harness the source 's potential these have are oftentimes converted into electrical energy . Just some of the most common sources of electrical energy are coal or fossil

fuels hydroelectricity , solar power , wind power , geothermal power and nuclear power

Currently , the United States primarily relies on coal energy which is detrimental to global health , because electricity produced from coal produces a lot of emissions this aggravates global warming . There are however , other means of producing electricity using more environment-friendly resources . One of the sources of energy which has great potential in this regard is solar power . Solar power is basically free and it can provide an unlimited source of energy once installed Also , solar energy produces no harmful emissions aside from the fact that it requires little or no maintenance . However , one of the biggest downside of solar energy is the costliness of initial installation Another disadvantage with solar energy is its unavailability during nighttime which can , however be solved by a backup battery system (Solar Energy Advantages and Disadvantages

Wind energy is another energy source that is being used as a source of electricity and similar to solar energy in many ways , this source of energy also produces no greenhouse gases which is harmful to the environment . It is also virtually free once it has been installed , and it also does not require much space (Trevino and Alatorre . However wind energy will also be unable to provide a constant energy source because it is dependent on the presence of wind no electricity will be produced if there is no wind . As compared to solar power , solar panels are generally quiet but wind turbines produce a lot of noise which could prove to be a nuisance (Ryan

Hydroelectric energy is a major source of energy for many countries and just like the two aforementioned energy sources , it does not contribute to global warming . The downside is that it is only feasible in areas that have flowing water . In addition , the construction of a dam would be costly and could provide a threat to the local marine ecosystem (Advantage and Disadvantages of Energy Sources

Geothermal energy is also an energy source that produces no emissions although only a few countries rely on such a source because not many places have the potential for such . There is also a possibility that with this source of energy , some hazardous gases and minerals may leak from underground , which might be difficult to clean up (Geothermal Energy

Fossil fuels are used to produce electricity and run vehicles but this energy source is non-renewable and it contributes to global warming and acid...